Abortion in America was the result of a Supreme Court decision in 1973. Since then it has remained a divisive factor both in politics and religion - pro-choice and pro-life.
Catholic voters were not to be ignored. Catholic politicians started out pro-life but later betrayed pro-life and pro-family values for political advantage.
Some clergy helped this u-turn. They produced the 'two-conscience approach', meaning 'privately I'm opposed to abortion, but in public I'm in favour of legal abortion.' This helped the Democrats up to the time of John Kerry's nomination.
But Barack Obama is more clever: "I don't know anybody who is pro-abortion. So let's abolish the need of abortion and thus reduce the number of abortions. Everybody should agree with that and we have a common-ground". Very good idea if abortion was not abortion.
Abortion is the clinical poisoning or surgical dismemberment of unborn children.
This is happening in America thanks to Mr Obama and politicians of the same ilk. This is intrinsically bad whether or not, according to one's conscience, one is guilty. To have the courage to look truth in the eye and call things by their name is far from being judgmental.
Murder should be addressed as murder. No amount of rhetoric or sugar-coating will make it any better. We don't compromise with murder. No common ground with murder exists. And if ever it exists we expect it to be on the side of the victim not the murderer.
If Mr Obama says he wants to be President of all, whether they practise abortion or not, why exclude the victims of abortion? But one might be more impressed by Mr Obama's words claiming to view abortion as a moral tragedy than his deeds at every turn. Mr Obama is still saying and doing two different things.
What he says at times amounts to the opposite of the political position he takes. He has a 100 per cent pro-abortion voting record. He even went as far as to vote against an act which would have protected children who survived failed abortion attempts from infanticide. Does that show any sincere commitment to family and faith?
I can easily understand why some Catholics were displeased when the new US Ambassador to Malta, Douglas Kmiec, endorsed Mr Obama. I think true Catholics should view life issues, such as abortion, as fundamental and as issues that do not lend themselves to the prudential judgment of the voter.
Abortion should not be merely "just one of many issues to consider". The right to life is fundamental. Without this, all other rights are null and void. One must first have existence to enjoy any social reform. Legalising abortion means giving some the right to kill and denying the right to life to others.
On what basis can one decide who has the right to work, education, healthcare... and who has no rights at all, not even to life? Any human right begins when human life begins.